Happy Thanksgiving everyone! The turkey seems to be a very scary experience for many. Maybe because we are preparing it for a lot of people, possibly because we know it can be super dry if mistreated, maybe it is all the funny videos and stories we have seen and heard over the years. Well worry no more! I have a simple straight to the point tutorial for you to make the perfect bird. Please visit my Facebook page for a live video with step by step instructions!
Easy Thanksgiving Butter and Sage Rubbed Turkey
Pull your bird from the oven an hour or two before you plan to roast it for even cooking.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the turkey from the wrapper over a pan or the sink as there will be a lot of liquid spilling out. Remove the neck from the cavity and the bag of gizzards. If you can’t find the gizzard bag check where the neck would have been attached at the top of the breasts. Rinse and pat dry. (Please sanitize your sink after you are all done!).
In a small bowl mix together 2 teaspoons of salt. 1 teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons of dried Sage and 5 crushed garlic cloves. Mash this mixture into a whole room temperature stick of butter making a compound butter. Feel free to adjust salt and pepper to your tastes.
Divide compound butter into 4 like sized portions. Separate the skin from the breast and slip one of the 4 butter portions under the skin. Repeat with second breast. From the breast area closest to the leg, loosen the leg and thigh skin and slide half of one of the four into each leg quarter. Slather the outside of your bird with the remaining butter.
Slide a quartered onion and a 2 lemon halves into the cavity of your bird. This is also a great place to stash some fresh sage or thyme if you have some on hand.
Place turkey on roasting rack in roasting pan and add 1-2 cups of water. Keep an eye on your liquid level throughout the roasting process to ensure your turkey remains moist, and of course so you can make gravy afterwards.
Place roasting pan in preheated oven for one hour or until the skin appears browned. Then lower temperature to 325 to to finish roasting. Depending on your bird size this could be at least another 1.5 hours or more. A general rule of thumb is to roast 20 minutes per pound and until a thermometer inserted into the thigh next to the breast registers 180 degrees. If your breast begin to get too dark, feel free to tent them with foil to keep them from drying out.
Remove turkey from oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes to allow the juices to distribute before slicing.
Sit back and enjoy your meal with family and friends remembering all of the beauty in life we have been blessed with. Have a great thanksgiving!
Easy Thanksgiving Sage and Butter Rubbed Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 Turkey (any size will do, my measurements are based on a smaller approximately 10lb bird, please adjust all measurements accordingly)
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons rubbed sage
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) room temperature butter
- 5 large cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 lemon
- 1 onion
- 1-2 cups of water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit
- Remove turkey from packaging, removing neck and giblet bag
- Rinse inside and out and pat dry with paper towels
- Mix sea salt, pepper, sage and garlic in small bowl
- Mash into butter until thoroughly combined, making a compound butter
- Divide butter into 4 chunks
- Separate skin from breast and push in 1/4 of your butter mixture
- Repeat on other breast
- Loosen skin on thigh and leg
- Divide another of the butter quarters in half, using half for each side rub butter under the skin of each thigh and leg.
- With remaining butter rub down the outside of your bird
- Stuff cavity with one whole lemon, halved and one whole onion quartered
- Truss your legs together, or leave them in the provided plastic truss
- Roast 425 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour, then finish at 325 for remaining hour and a half or longer, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh close to the breast registers 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Turkeys will take approximately 20 minutes per pound to roast.
- If your breasts are getter dark before you reach temperature, tent with foil
- Once desired temperature is reached remove from oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes
- Carve and enjoy!
Leave a Reply